Today the European Union has officially launched a call for proposals that will award €20 million of grants to “Operational Digital Platforms” as part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital programme.
The deadline to apply is 16 October 2025.
“Operational Digital Platforms” are cross-border digital infrastructures for the energy and transport, such as those:
– enabling consumer-centric electricity management, to match production and consumption in real time,
– integrating AI-driven solutions for electric vehicle and grid synergy,
– enhancing energy trading through comprehensive data management and frameworks.
By co-funding Operational Digital Platforms, the EU addresses the need for more technological sovereignty/security, defragmenting transport and electricity infrastructures and increasing the responsiveness of the energy sector to the challenge of rapidly growing electricity demand from data centres, electric vehicles charging, and heating and cooling. The CEF-Digital programme also aims to contribute to the EU meeting its environmental and energy targets, improving industrial competitiveness, and supporting the Digital Decade goals including the deployment of climate-neutral, highly secure edge nodes.
Managed by the European Health & Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) on behalf of the European Commission, this call is based on the CEF-Digital 2024-2027 Work Programme, aiming to bolster Europe’s competitiveness and technological leadership by advancing secure and resilient large-scale digital infrastructures. This call is the second of a two-step approach that built on the BEGONIA Coordination and Support Action, whose role was to identify address market gaps and mobilise the stakeholder community to apply for this funding.
Who can apply?
This call is open to any public or private entities (including joint ventures) established in EU countries, including overseas countries or territories. The applicants should compose a consortium of minimum 6 applicants from a minimum of 4 different eligible countries. Participation is subject to security restrictions, which are defined in the call text.
Info Day
No need to register. Join via this link on 1 July from 10.00 to 12.30 (CET) onwards. If you have questions before and during the event, you can post them here.
For any questions related to the calls you can contact: HADEA-CEF-DIGITAL-CALLSec [dot] europa [dot] eu (HADEA-CEF-DIGITAL-CALLS[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu).
Submit your proposal by 16 October 2025 at 17.00 (CET) via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
